Rod Ends
Rod ends and heim joints link an actuator to the moving frame of a bed or lift. The joint swings through its angle there.
View product →Parts Catalog
Medical Parts Catalog
Open a product page for sizes and grades, or send a drawing for a part not listed.
Ball Joints
Ball joints let an arm move in more than one plane, as on an adjustable table or equipment arm.
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Spherical Bearings
Spherical bearings sit in arm and column pivots, where two parts turn while their axes are slightly out of line.
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Clevis
Clevis fittings join a rod to a bracket or lever with a pin, as in a backrest or leg-section linkage.
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Universal Joints
Universal joints carry rotation across an angle in a hand-crank or adjustment shaft.
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Bushings
Plain and flanged bushings line pivot bores that move every day. The metal sleeve takes the wear instead of the bore.
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Threaded Rod
Threaded rod is cut to length for height-adjust columns, braces, and bench frames.
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Custom CNC Parts
Custom CNC parts, such as handles, knobs, and pins, are made to your drawing when no listed product fits.
View product →Material Decision
Choosing the Grade by Cleaning Exposure
Match the grade to the chemicals the part meets, how long it stays wet, and the metals it touches.
Dry and wipe-down grade
304 Stainless
Grade 304 suits trolley frames, brackets, spacers, and covers that are wiped down and kept dry between uses. It costs less than 316L. For a part that never sits in saline, reagents, or a chlorine disinfectant, it is the sensible pick.
Carts and frames · Brackets
Wet and washdown grade
316L
Molybdenum gives 316L better pitting and crevice resistance than 304. That makes it the safer pick for parts that stay wet, meet saline or lab reagents, or take repeated disinfectant wipes. Choose 316L when the part is welded after machining. Strong chlorine solutions still need checking against the grade.
Wet areas · Lab equipment
High-strength grade
17-4PH
Heat treatment hardens 17-4PH, which helps pins, shafts, and actuator parts resist wear better than in 304 or 316L. Its pitting and crevice resistance is lower than 316L, so keep it out of standing liquid. Ask for a tempered condition such as H1025.
Pins · Actuator shafts
On request
440C and 303
440C is available on request for a part that needs a hardened wear face. 303 is available on request for dry, turned parts inside a housing. Both resist wet cleaning less well than 316L. We do not suggest either for parts that stay wet.
Wear faces · Internal parts
| Grade | Minimum yield strength | Pitting resistance (PREN, typical) | Typical medical equipment use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 304 | 205 MPa | 18 to 20 | Frames, brackets, and spacers kept dry between wipe-downs |
| 316L | 170 MPa | 24 to 26 | Wet areas, lab parts, and welded assemblies |
| 17-4PH (H1025) | 1000 MPa | Lower than 316L | Pins and actuator shafts kept out of standing liquid |
| 440C and 303 (on request) | Depends on condition | Lower than 316L | Wear faces and dry internal parts |
Values are typical for annealed 304 and 316L plate and for 17-4PH in the H1025 condition, given for comparison. The final grade depends on your drawing and your cleaning method.
Design Notes
Where Medical Equipment Hardware Fails
Most failures start in a crevice, under a chlorine disinfectant, at a mixed-metal contact, or in a dry joint that galls.
Cleaning
Disinfectant and Autoclave Exposure
Repeated chlorine wipes can pit both 304 and 316L. The pits start where liquid dries on the surface. Rinse after contact and check the cleaning chemical against the grade. Put the cleaning cycle on your drawing.
Frames · Lift arms · Tray fittings
Crevices
Crevices and Blind Holes
Liquid and residue stay in thread roots, blind holes, and tight joints, which is where pitting starts. A shape that drains helps. Passivation after machining also removes loose iron from the surface. We offer passivation as a service.
Threads · Blind holes · Joints
Contact
Mixed Metals
Aluminum arms and zinc-plated steel parts corrode where they touch stainless steel in a wet joint. A polymer washer or sleeve breaks the contact. List both metals on your drawing.
Aluminum arms · Plated hardware · Fasteners
Edges
Burrs and Dry Joints
A sharp edge or burr snags gloves and cloths and holds residue, so state the edge break on your drawing. Stainless steel against stainless steel can gall without grease. To avoid that, pair a hardened 17-4PH pin with a softer bushing and list the pair.
Edges · Pins · Bushings
Quick Pick
Quick Pick by Cleaning Method
Start from how the equipment is cleaned, then read the grade to quote first in the fourth column.
| Cleaning method | Parts that see it | What goes wrong | Grade to quote first | Design check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol or quaternary wipe | Frames, handles, covers, brackets | Little, apart from residue held in crevices | 304, or 316L where the part stays damp | Smooth edges and no open gaps where residue collects |
| Chlorine bleach wipe or spray | Bed frames, lift arms, cart frames | Discoloration and pitting where the bleach dries on the surface | 316L, rinsed after contact | A rinse path, no pockets where bleach pools, and passivation after machining |
| Steam autoclave | Tray fittings, small assemblies, arm joints | Water spots and pitting at crevices, from chlorides left by the water | 316L, with 17-4PH pins in H1025 | Draining holes, no blind pockets, and the cycle on your drawing |
| Saline, reagents, and body fluids | Lab platforms, analyzer fittings, parts near the patient | Pitting and crevice attack under dried residue | 316L | Crevice-free joints and passivation after machining |
| Dry, internal, no washdown | Pivot pins and bushings inside housings | Wear and galling | 17-4PH pins with 316L bushings | Different grades and hardness in the pair |
This table is material guidance only. Cleaning, sterilization, and their validation stay with the equipment maker.
Where It Is Used
Medical Equipment Sectors
Each machine puts different parts in the cleaning chemicals, the wet joint, or the daily movement. Find yours, then open the product page. We make the parts for this equipment, not implants or finished devices.
01
Hospital Beds and Patient Lifts
A hospital bed raises and tilts its deck through linkage, while a patient lift swings its arm on a pivot. Both are wiped with disinfectant between uses. Clevis fittings, rod ends, bushings, and threaded rod sit in those linkages. Give the pin diameter and the cleaning chemical when you inquire.
02
Surgical and Dental Equipment Assemblies
Surgical lights, instrument carts, and dental chairs move on articulated arms and column joints. Ball joints, spherical bearings, rod ends, and universal joints sit in those arms. The arm angle and the finish are the details to list.
03
Diagnostic and Lab Equipment
Analyzers and sample handlers position trays and racks on carriages. Their frames meet reagents and saline. Spacers, threaded rod, spherical bearings, and sheet metal brackets hold those platforms. List the reagents.
04
Rehabilitation and Mobility Equipment
Wheelchairs, walkers, and therapy tables fold, tilt, and adjust height on pivots and tube frames. Tube clamps, clevis fittings, bushings, and wheel axle spacers sit in those frames. For these, send the tube diameter and the mating metals.
Manufacturing Route
Built Around the Drawing
Three routes cover most medical equipment hardware. Each links to its product page.
01 / MILLING
CNC Machining
We mill brackets, housings, and multi-face parts to your drawing, with tolerances typically held to ±0.01 mm. 5-axis machining is available on request when a part needs it.
View CNC Parts →
02 / TURNING
CNC Turning
Spacers, bushings, pins, shafts, and rod end bodies are turned from your drawing or sample.
View CNC Turning Parts →03 / FORMING
Stamping and Bending
We stamp and bend covers, trays, and brackets from your drawing.
View Sheet Metal Parts →How It Works
From Drawing to Delivery
Four steps take an order from drawing to shipment.
01
Send the Part
Send a drawing, a sample, or a worn part with the details in the checklist below.
02
Get a Quote
Engineering reviews the grade, geometry, and cleaning method, then issues the quotation.
03
Approve the Sample
Sample parts are made for your approval before production starts.
04
Production and Shipping
Production follows the approved sample, and finished parts ship by sea, air, or express courier.
Advantages
Why Profab
Medical equipment makers order small, mixed, drawing-based orders. These are the ways we make that easier.
Why Profab / 01
Direct From the Manufacturer
Equipment makers order straight from the factory that cuts the metal.
- Our Own CNC ShopWe turn and mill your pins, bushings, and spacers in our own factory in Ningbo. You deal directly with the manufacturer.
- Since 2005Profab has worked in stainless steel for 20 years. We know how 304, 316L, and 17-4PH cut and finish.
- ISO 9001Our quality management system is ISO 9001 certified.
- Small Runs, No Hard MinimumA trial run of a new bracket or pivot design is fine. Prototype runs typically start around 100 pieces.
Why Profab / 02
Built for Medical Equipment Orders
A bed, lift, or lab platform rarely needs just one part. One order can cover the linkage, the pivots, and the frame hardware together.
- One Quote for Several PartsRod ends, bushings, spacers, and clevis fittings for one machine are quoted together.
- Same Drawing, Different GradesOne bracket drawing can be quoted in 304 for a dry frame and in 316L for a wet area.
- Copy From a SampleSend a corroded clevis or a worn bushing. We measure it and quote a copy.
- Any Product on RequestIf a part is not in the catalog, we quote it from your drawing together with the rest of the order.
01 / 02
Inquiry Checklist
What to Send With Your Inquiry
Send a drawing, a sample, or a worn part with the details below.
Send These Details
Include as many of these details as you have.
- Equipment type, and where the part sits
- Cleaning method and the chemical, such as alcohol wipe, chlorine bleach, or autoclave
- Material grade, or the grades you would accept
- Mating metals, such as aluminum arms and plated steel, and any isolation washer
- Thread, bore, pin diameter, and edge or burr requirement
- Load on the part and how often it moves
- Finish needs, such as passivation or electropolishing, and quantity
What Happens Next
We check grade, geometry, and finish against your cleaning method, then quote.
Procurement FAQ
Medical Buyer FAQ
These short answers cover the first engineering and purchasing questions.
Which stainless steel grade suits medical equipment that is cleaned every day?
316L resists pitting and crevice attack better than 304. For parts that stay wet or meet saline, reagents, or chlorine disinfectants, choose 316L. Grade 304 works for frames and brackets that are wiped down and kept dry.
Can your stainless steel parts go through an autoclave?
Stainless steel as a material handles autoclave steam temperatures, but sterilization validation stays with the equipment maker. When you send the cycle with your inquiry, we review the grade and the shape for draining holes and open crevices.
Are your parts medical grade or approved for medical devices?
No. We machine stainless steel components to your drawing and your chosen grade. Device approvals and biocompatibility testing stay with the equipment maker. That is because we do not make implants or finished devices.
Can I use 17-4PH in a wet area?
17-4PH suits pins and shafts that need strength, but its pitting resistance is lower than 316L. Ask for a tempered condition such as H1025 and keep it out of standing liquid. Where the part stays wet, choose 316L instead.
Can stainless steel parts touch aluminum arms?
They can, but in a wet joint the aluminum corrodes faster at the contact point. A polymer washer or sleeve between them keeps the metals apart. List both metals on your drawing.
Which finishes can you provide?
We offer passivation and electropolishing as services for parts that need a smooth, clean surface. Other finishes are available on request. The finish listed in your inquiry is priced into the quotation.